ZRP And ZNA Owe Masvingo City Council $16 Million In Unpaid Bills

Masvingo City Council is owed millions of dollars in unpaid rates by residents and state institutions. The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) and the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) having a total of $16 million dollars in arrears. This was revealed by Masvingo City Mayor Collen Nyabote. Nyabote had this to say

The city is rated one of the best in the country in terms of service delivery and it has been possible because residents and institutions honoured their debts. Now the situation has changed and the government departments are not paying.

Their debts are ballooning and I am sure by now the figures are up high. We have mooted unleashing debt collectors on all defaulters but we thought leniency would be nice but very few have come forward.

The army owe the council in excess of $11 838 487, 89 while the police have an excess of $4 165 157, 83 and the prisons $2 433 596, 90. All the ratepayers owe the city council close to $70 million.

Masvingo United Residents and Ratepayers Alliance spokesperson Godfrey Mtimba said that it is unfair to have free-riders who burden poor residents who have to subside them.

Residents pay their bills and they get rationed services while those who do not pay enjoy uninterrupted services. This is unfair because poor residents are the ones who are being disadvantaged because their money is being used to service the defaulters.

If residents do not pay, they are disconnected but these government institutions seem to be invincible and the council does not know how to deal with them.

More: Mail and Telegraph